HSBC and First Direct now support Apple Pay in the U.K.

Apple Pay is available in the U.K. from the following banks and credit card companies. Photo: Apple

Apple Pay rolled out in the U.K. this month, and today the service got a bit better, as Apple now supports HSBC and First Direct credit and debit cards in the country.

That brings the total supported U.K. banks and card providers to nine — including Natwest, Santander, Nationwide, RBS, Ulster Bank, HSBC, First Direct, MBNA, and American Express.

While a few banks are still M.I.A., Lloyds has said that Apple Pay will be up and running “this autumn” (read: fall), while other banks have said the service will be available “soon.”

Despite the lack of some of the nation’s biggest banks, the Apple Pay rollout has been largely successful — although this is understandable given that NFC payments are nothing new to U.K. customers. Still, with HSBC and First Direct throwing their names into the Apple Pay hat, expect Apple’s mobile payment service to get even bigger from here.

Who knows? Maybe Apple Pay will even join cricket and the weather as suitable topics of conversation for us Brits to discuss as we stand apologetically in the rain, waiting for the bus.